This invention relates to a moveable patient handling system for use in diagnostic medical imaging.
Heretofore, each modality of diagnostic medical imaging equipment, such as Computed Tomography (CT), X-ray, Nuclear Medicine and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), was equipped with a dedicated handling system for a patient or object under examination. These object handling systems generally included a table disposed over a base. The top side of the table is used to support an object, such as a patient, for imaging. The mechanical configuration of the imaging equipment to which each object handling system is mated often affects the configuration and features for each type of object handling system. For example, CT and MRI imaging equipment generally have gantries that form imaging spaces. These imaging spaces are generally horizontal to the floor and often have part of the gantry disposed between the imaging space and the floor. Because of the construction of these gantries, it is often necessary to dispose the base on the floor adjacent the gantry and extend the table relative to the base and into the imaging space. In contrast, with general purpose x-ray systems it is possible to have a configuration wherein there is no fixed gantry. Accordingly, the table and base can be disposed between the source of radiation and the floor and the table can remain over the base. Another imaging equipment feature that affects the object handling system configuration is the height of the imaging space from the floor. For example, if the height of an imaging space for a CT is different from the height of an imaging space for an MRI, the height of the object handling system associated with each system must be adjusted accordingly. The physics of a specific imaging modality configuration also affects, in part, the features of an object handling system. For example, tables designed for use exclusively in an MRI environment are made from fiberglass composites. Similarly, tables designed for use exclusively in radiation transmissive modalities, such as X-ray and CT, are preferably made from carbon composites. The selection of a fiberglass or carbon composite table is motivated, in part, by a desire to minimize the effect of the table on the imaging modality with which the table is being used. 2 With CT and MRI imaging equipment a table movement means, such as a motor, is often used to extend the table relative to the base and into the imaging space. In contrast, with object handling equipment used with X-ray and Nuclear Camera equipment the table often remains fixed over the base during imaging and the x-ray source and Nuclear Camera equipment are moved relative to the fixed table. Moreover, within a specific imaging modality, e.g., X-ray, more than one object handling system having different features is often available depending on the type of imaging to be performed and the desired object handling system features. For example, some object handling systems have a tilting feature that allows the table to be tiled from horizontal to vertical. Other object handling systems have a table that "floats" on the base thereby allowing the table to be moved in one or more directions in a horizontal plane. Still other tables may only have a top fixed at one position over the base.
A drawback to having a dedicated object handling system for different modalities of diagnostic imaging equipment or different imaging equipment of one modality is that the patient must be moved to each object handling system for imaging by the respective imaging equipment. Specifically, the patient is often disposed on a transportation gurney for movement into and out of an imaging room. Once in the room the patient is moved from the gurney to the object handling system to be imaged. After the imaging procedure is complete, the patient is returned to the gurney and transported out of the imaging room. One drawback to this arrangement is when the patient is being sequentially imaged on two or more diagnostic imaging apparatus, it is necessary to move the patient between the gurney and the object handling system and back again for each imaging equipment the patient encounters. Another drawback to this arrangement is that if the patient is unable to assist in moving between the gurney and object handling system, two or more medical personnel may be needed to move the patient each time resulting in inefficient use of such personnel whose time and talents may be more effectively used elsewhere. Still another drawback is that an object handling system is generally associated with a specific imaging equipment. Thus, if a feature of the object handling system is inoperative, such as the table movement means used to extend the table relative to the base and into the imaging space of a CT or MRI, the ability to use the imaging equipment is affected.
In some modalities of diagnostic medical imaging, the imaging equipment, e.g., CT and MRI, has one or more detectors for receiving imaging information from the patient. The received imaging information is converted to electrical signals by the detectors. These electrical signals are processed by an imaging computer and converted into viewable images of the patients anatomy. Data regarding the identification of the patient is often entered into the imaging computer, via a keyboard, for association of the viewable images with the patient identification data. By associating the viewable images with the patient identification data, subsequent correlation of the images with an appropriate patient can be made. This patient identification data may include, for example, name, sex, date-of-birth, social security number, insurance information, examination specific information, e.g., technique factor, slice number, and the like. Moving a patient from one imaging equipment to another requires this patient identification data to be entered into the computer of each imaging equipment so that a correlation between the patient being imaged and the resultant images is achieved. Drawbacks of having to enter patient data more than once is the time required to enter such data at each imaging equipment and the potential for operator entry error during multiple data entries. One way to overcome these drawbacks is to have a computer network connecting the various imaging equipment whereby the patient data can be entered once and retrieved at each imaging equipment. A drawback to the computer network, however, is that the patient being imaged must be accurately identified at each imaging equipment. If the patient is incorrectly identified, improper correlation between the patient and the resultant images can occur.
The present invention contemplates an improved object handling system that overcomes the above problems and others.